Some of you know, some of my favorite movies or television shows are The Princess Bride, Month Python and the Holy Grail, and Game of Thrones. I hope you get some of the references in this post. Two of those shows were filmed partially in Ireland and Northern Ireland. We take a trip to the South, West, and the North.
Really I don't think I did too badly. Once briefly on the wrong side turning into a convenient store, twice poking the car out too far because I was looking left instead of right, only one car honked at me. Well I did turn right in front of that oncoming car. But I made it unscathed. I am an expert in roundabouts now.
After the U2 concert and walking what seemed like miles to get near the city center (seriously Dublin, add some DART or LUAS stops near Croke Park!), then getting in a pedicab, and then sprinting to catch the last DART train at 12:24, we were starving and ate pizza in Bray at 1:30 am.
Needless to say, we didn't get off to an early start on Sunday. I was hoping to get the car at 10 and be off for a few spots in the south. But that was bad planning on my part. We even stopped at a McDonalds for lunch and ordered on this fancy touch screen. Somehow the Big and Tasty burger and the fries tasted better here.
That makes it 3 times I've eaten at McDonald's in a different country (2 previous ones in Paris and Lyon). We did get the car and drove to Waterford, shopped and took in some views.
Raided and settled by Vikings, Waterford still has medieval charms.
We were left with little time to see Kilkenny or Rock of Cashel. But if we hurried we could make the last tour of Cashel. However, Google maps was not our friend today. Somehow we ended up on a tiny road to literally nowhere. The road was closed 40 kilometers in, only a couple of kilometers away from our destination. We would have been on time. That was disheartening so we headed back towards Kilkenny. I nice town with castles and pubs also, but too late for any tour there also. So, one out of three on the wish list today. Again, I suppose I'll be coming back to Ireland one day to do a proper driving tour.
Back in Bray at 9:30 we discover what might be our favorite place, the Box Burger. More than just burgers, really good food, music, drinks, and vibe. We were here 3 times. This time I had a black burger, made with a beef and black pudding mixture with melted cheddar, and a craft beer from Bray, Wicklow Wolf Amber Ale. Tasty. You know I always have to try local craft brews wherever I go. We have to sleep this time, because we have a 5:00 wake up for a trip to Northern Ireland.
Going back to the "One" theme, the island of Ireland is comprised of 32 counties, but 6 of those counties are in a separate country, Northern Ireland, governed by the UK. The land was conceded by the Republic of Ireland as a result of gaining independence, or as a demand by the UK for granting independence, depending on your perspective. Northern Ireland has ever since been plagued with violence and bitter disputes, some of which still exist in a tenuous state of peace. There still existed laws officially discriminating against Catholics. People still remember the Troubles, but they have had cooperation for 19 years. It's easy to say the fight is between Loyalist or Unionist (those loyal to Britain) vs Nationalist or Republican (those wishing for independence and rejoining with the Republic of Ireland). It is much less clear the distinction of Protestant vs Catholic. As our Black Taxi Tour guide driver said, even his family is a mixture of both. Whatever the side, horrific violence resulted in many innocent people getting caught in crossfire. Both sides have to share blame, whether British soldiers and police, or the IRA, or civilian sympathizers on either side. Hopefully the peace will continue, even if tensions are still evident.
There is a Protestant section and a Catholic section and a wall separating the neighborhoods. You will clearly see the divide as houses on one side prominently display the Union Jack or the tri-color Irish flag. It is said, in the neighborhoods there is little if any interaction between Loyalists and Nationalists, but in town, they work side by side and go to pubs together.
The peace agreement, known as the Good Friday Agreement, was signed in this church, the Clonard Roman Catholic Church and Monastery, off of Falls Road in Belfast. Establishing a Northern Ireland government and relations between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland as well as between the Republic of Ireland and United Kingdom. It also addressed civil and cultural rights, ending official discrimination, and the decommissioning of weapons. A symbolic gesture as it had yet to be ratified by all parties. But a monumental occasion nonetheless. When you visit you can sign the peace wall and leave your own mark on history. They may not be "one" in Belfast, but it was a step towards unity.
On to less divisive sightseeing in the north, unless you consider a battle of giants to be more divisive. But first a 2 hour bus ride and a little rest, then lunch. On this day in Northern Ireland, we joined a coach tour, to leave the driving to someone else. We left Dublin, arrived in Belfast for the previously described Black Taxi Political tour, and then further. We can almost see Scotland from here.
Game of Thrones is filmed in several locations in Northern Ireland. One of those is at the Dunluce Castle. The House of Greyjoy, ruler of the Iron Islands, is the theme here. "What is dead may never die" is their slogan when one is converted to the local religion. We just stopped for a few photo opportunities.
All that storming the castle business must have made me starving because I gobbled up lunch at our stop at the Giant's Barn Cafe. I didn't even take a photo of it for all you foodies. But it was a delicious Beef and Guinness pie, plus a delicious chocolate cake that seemed lighter than what we make or eat in the US. I also at half of Lisa's roast beef and all her peas. She hates peas. She also hates the word delicious.
The Giant's Causeway is a formation of columns of hardened lava after an ancient volcanic eruption. That's the scientific version. Another story is about giants. Giants on either side of the Irish sea were having an argument. On the Irish side, the giant decided to build a bridge of stone to settle it once and for all. He got halfway across and when he saw the other giant, much bigger giant than he, he turned around and went back home. But as the same time, the bigger giant decided he would also build a bridge and came for the smaller giant. The Irish giant was scared and hid in the child's bed. When the bigger giant made it across, he saw the other giant's wife and demanded to know where he was so they could fight. The wife said he was out, but the giant had to search. What he saw was the giant in a child's bed. My gosh, he thought. If that is the child, what must the father look like! He turned around and scampered off, breaking the stones and burying them in the water along the way back.
Dispute settled.
More from Northern Ireland and West Republic of Ireland in the next entry.
Meanwhile, for more photos, please visit my site on Google +:
Ireland 2017
There is a Protestant section and a Catholic section and a wall separating the neighborhoods. You will clearly see the divide as houses on one side prominently display the Union Jack or the tri-color Irish flag. It is said, in the neighborhoods there is little if any interaction between Loyalists and Nationalists, but in town, they work side by side and go to pubs together.
On to less divisive sightseeing in the north, unless you consider a battle of giants to be more divisive. But first a 2 hour bus ride and a little rest, then lunch. On this day in Northern Ireland, we joined a coach tour, to leave the driving to someone else. We left Dublin, arrived in Belfast for the previously described Black Taxi Political tour, and then further. We can almost see Scotland from here.
Game of Thrones is filmed in several locations in Northern Ireland. One of those is at the Dunluce Castle. The House of Greyjoy, ruler of the Iron Islands, is the theme here. "What is dead may never die" is their slogan when one is converted to the local religion. We just stopped for a few photo opportunities.
All that storming the castle business must have made me starving because I gobbled up lunch at our stop at the Giant's Barn Cafe. I didn't even take a photo of it for all you foodies. But it was a delicious Beef and Guinness pie, plus a delicious chocolate cake that seemed lighter than what we make or eat in the US. I also at half of Lisa's roast beef and all her peas. She hates peas. She also hates the word delicious.
The Giant's Causeway is a formation of columns of hardened lava after an ancient volcanic eruption. That's the scientific version. Another story is about giants. Giants on either side of the Irish sea were having an argument. On the Irish side, the giant decided to build a bridge of stone to settle it once and for all. He got halfway across and when he saw the other giant, much bigger giant than he, he turned around and went back home. But as the same time, the bigger giant decided he would also build a bridge and came for the smaller giant. The Irish giant was scared and hid in the child's bed. When the bigger giant made it across, he saw the other giant's wife and demanded to know where he was so they could fight. The wife said he was out, but the giant had to search. What he saw was the giant in a child's bed. My gosh, he thought. If that is the child, what must the father look like! He turned around and scampered off, breaking the stones and burying them in the water along the way back.
Dispute settled.
More from Northern Ireland and West Republic of Ireland in the next entry.
Meanwhile, for more photos, please visit my site on Google +:
Ireland 2017
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